Sheikha Fatima sends aid plane to Lebanon as Emirates establishes air bridge

Latest phase in UAE's unwavering support for stricken country

A woman stands inside a damaged restaurant. AP Photo

People and employees attend a mass over the victims who were killed in the blast, at the Al-Roum hospital at Ashrafieh area in Beirut. EPA

Workers are pictured at the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA

A man sleeps near a damaged car near the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. REUTERS

Workers line at the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA

French President Emmanuel Macron visits the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA

People and employees attend a mass over the victims who were killed in the blast, at the Al-Roum hospital at Ashrafieh area in Beirut. EPA

A view of the port of Beirut on January 25, 2020, left, and on August 5, 2020, a day after the explosion. AFP

Bride Israa Seblani poses for a picture in the same place where she was taking her wedding photos at the moment of the explosion. Reuters

People stand with their belongings as they leave their damaged homes. Reuters

A Lebanese man shows injuries on his back after the massive explosion in Beirut. EPA

Men are seen sitting inside a damaged home, following Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters

A pedestrian takes photos of a badly damaged building in Beirut. Bloomberg

Lebanese Druze clerics check damaged cars. AP Photo

A statue representing the Lebanese expatriate is seen in front of a building that was damaged by the explosion. AP Photo

People walk with their belongings in the area of Mar Mikhael and Gemayzeh. EPA

The curtains in the rooms of the Le Gray hotel in the Lebanese capital Beirut swaying in the wind. AFP

A view of a damaged Fransa Bank. EPA

People check damaged vehicles. EPA

Volunteers clean the streets amid the wreckage. Reuters

People carry belongings after evacuating their damaged housing units at area of Mar Mikhael and Gemayzeh. EPA

A destroyed Bank Audi SAL branch stands in Beirut. Bloomberg

A worker wearing a protective face mask stands at the entrance to a destroyed Fransabank SAL branch in Beirut. Bloomberg

Volunteers carry brooms as they walk to clean the streets. Reuters

A woman sits in front of a damaged building. EPA

A general view of the Beirut port area after the massive explosion. EPA

An aerial view shows the massive damage done to the Electricity of Lebanon building. AFP

A view of the damaged building of the Lebanese fashion designer Zuhair Murad. EPA

Volunteers gather aid supplies to be distributed for those affected by Tuesday's blast. Reuters

Lebanese men clears rubble, one day after the explosion at the Beirut Port, in the Gemayzeh area. EPA

Lebanese youth salvage a velvet sofa from a destroyed apartment in the Gemayzeh area of Beirut. EPA

Lebanese activists take part in a campaign to clean the damaged neighbourhood of Mar Mikhael. AFP

An injured Lebanese shop owner sits at her desk selling her wares. EPA

Another aid plane has left for Lebanon as the UAE continues its support following the deadly blast in Beirut.

Sheikha Fatima, chairwoman of the General Women's Union and president of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, directed a plane carrying about 100 tonnes of medicines and nutritional supplies be dispatched to the country.

Officials and female staff from the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) are also flying to Lebanon to identify what needs to be done, especially for mothers and children. The aid reflects Sheikha Fatima’s solidarity with the Lebanese people and it is being supervised by ERC.

It comes as Emirates on Thursday announced an airbridge between Dubai and Lebanon, dedicating more than 50 flights over the next few weeks to deliver emergency relief support.

People can donate money or pledge their Skywards Miles to Emirates Airline Foundation, which will then coordinate shipments of food, medical supplies and other items with its NGO partners.

"Today, the world is banding together to stand in solidarity with Lebanon, providing urgent relief and immediate recovery support to those affected by this tragic disaster," said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, group chairman and chief executive of Emirates.

"Emirates supports the UAE's ongoing humanitarian efforts to support Lebanon and is committed to bolster its global emergency response to ensure that it can support organisations which provide urgent care, shelter, food and medical support to the Lebanese people."

Both initiatives from Sheikha Fatima and Emirates represent just the latest phase in the UAE's humanitarian effort after last week's deadly blast in Beirut that killed 171 people and injured 6,000.

The UAE has already announced it will sponsor orphans who have lost their parents in the explosion.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, the Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra and chairman of the ERC, instructed the organisation to sponsor orphans and take care of the families who have lost loved ones.

Several plane loads carrying vital supplies have also left for Beirut over the past few days, while the UAE Volunteers programme has appealed for people here in the UAE to help with the effort.

Lebanese entities in the UAE have also stepped in. Thousands of window panes will be shipped from the UAE this week to help repair homes and shops. The aid distribution is part of the Together for Beirut campaign spearheaded by the Lebanese Business Council in Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, people can donate to the ERC relief effort on the charity's website.